Take responsibility. Act sensibly. Be fair.
"With the 2030 Agenda adopted in 2015, the international community committed itself to 17 global goals for a better future under the umbrella of the United Nations. The guiding principle is to enable people around the world to live in dignity while preserving the natural foundations of life in the long term." This is what it says on the German government's website. Of course, this is a lofty ambition that we could not realise on our own as a single company of this size. However, we are taking action in the areas over which we have influence - and have been doing so since the 1980s, when our corporate identity was set out in writing. But a claim alone is only the beginning. In the following, we show not only which goals guide us, but also which specific measures we have
EcoVadis has rated SANHA GmbH & Co. KG considerably more positively in 2023 and 2024 and awarded our efforts a gold rating for sustainability management. This is a significant improvement on the previous bronze and silver certificates, which is awarded following the annual assessment by EcoVadis - and of course we are not satisfied with this in the medium and long term. SANHA® is therefore on the right track, both nationally and internationally. EcoVadis is one of the world's largest providers of sustainability ratings for companies and has built up a global network of over 100,000 companies in around 175 countries.
Our management system is certified in accordance with ISO 9001 and ISO 50001 and guarantees consistently high quality at all locations in Germany and abroad. We also have an active TQM system. All national and international management and product certificates are available as PDF downloads here.
Furthermore, we have been part of the United Nations Global Compact since July 2023 and support the ten principles on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. By participating, we want to express our commitment to make the UN Global Compact and its principles part of our company's strategy, culture and daily work and to participate in joint projects that promote the general development goals of the United Nations, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals.
Thanks to the high level of in-house production in our own plants in Germany, Belgium and Poland, we can also guarantee the traceable quality of all our piping systems and products. This is regularly confirmed by independent institutions.
Sustainability begins with product development and extends through production to use. A circular economy or a cradle-to-cradle system* is better than pure reduction, because this only prolongs the availability of resources, but does not work on the cause. There is still a long way to go, but we have set out on the path.
That's why, for example, we now use far more than 50 per cent recycled copper input material. Stainless steel can also be recycled very well. In addition, neither material releases any harmful substances into the environment or drinking water.
Another example is the introduction of fittings made of silicon bronze (incidentally, as the first manufacturer of piping systems). This copper alloy does not contain lead, so there is no risk of lead entering drinking water through the domestic installation, nor of lead entering the soil and groundwater after the end of the building's use. These materials have a service life of more than 50 years under normal use. Another advantage: fabricators do not run the risk of expensive liability for defects if the lead limit value is exceeded.
With the stainless steel pipes of the NiroSan®-ECO system, we offer pipes with a thinner wall thickness - with the same suitability and quality as usual. This also helps to save material.
Of course, all packaging materials are collected separately and disposed of properly. Packaging is used for new deliveries wherever possible. Tools that are no longer suitable for use in the company but still work are offered to employees free of charge to give them a "second life". When using plastic for packaging, we are in active discussions with manufacturers to both minimise consumption and find alternatives or achieve a high recycling rate.
Making our own moulds for production generally leads to less use of materials: wear and tear can be easily repaired, so that the service life of the tools and moulds is increased. And: Our promotional products have also been converted to sustainable products as far as possible. Products made of wood have PEFC certification, the bodies of the ballpoint pens are made from renewable organic raw materials and much more.
*All components of a product can be recycled. Each component has a second, third, fourth life as the basis for another product.
The construction sector is responsible for around 38 % of all CO2 emissions worldwide and causes around 60 % of all waste (UBA). Demanding requirements for sustainable building (DGNB, Leed, BREEAM, etc.) and regulatory changes, for example through the Green Deal, come alongside our own motivation for a world worth living in. So there is great potential here. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a location-independent, cross-trade, three-dimensional planning software. It helps to set up workflows much more efficiently.
By integrating databases with BIM objects, the use of natural resources can be managed better and more efficiently. Information about the type, origin and resources used for production can be integrated. In this way, BIM reduces product waste by identifying errors during the design phase rather than during the construction process. For example, the correct pipe dimensions are used and deviations or subsequent material wastage are avoided. In addition, BIM also reduces paper and ink consumption by storing all information in the cloud. SANHA® has been making all BIM-relevant information available in Revit format, Plancal Nova and other modern planning programmes for many years.
We are also continuously pursuing this path internally. For example, payrolls are provided digitally and paper is avoided, or in logistics we work with a voice-controlled picking system (pick-by-voice), which is not only economically necessary but also further reduces the use of paper and ink.
Of course, a high degree of digitalisation also means a corresponding use of energy for servers, cooling, etc. To counteract this and at the same time provide energy for production, all suitable locations have been equipped with extensive PV systems. At the same time, the solar power is available for vehicle charging stations - because our vehicle fleet will be converted to electric cars in the future. It goes without saying that this only makes sense if the required electricity comes from renewable sources.
For the transport of hydrogen, two of our piping systems (SANHA®-Press Gas and NiroSan® Gas) are suitable for transporting up to 100 % H2 (as well as H2/CH4 mixtures and 100 % natural gas) in buildings. As the first manufacturer of piping systems, we have had a KIWA certificate for years and, since 2022, also the DBI/DVGW "H2ready" warranty mark. Hydrogen has also been used in our own production for decades.
Speaking of sustainable construction: Our stainless steel fittings plant in Schmiedefeld near Dresden is a remarkable example. Here, a modern, bright and efficient industrial building was constructed that implements a variety of sustainability measures. From the choice of building ground to the design of bright and friendly working conditions to energy-efficient heating through waste heat recycling, the plant meets all self-imposed requirements and was awarded the "German Sustainable Building Seal" certificate in gold in 2009 - very similar to standards like LEED or BREEAM.
The SANHA® Total Quality Management System (TQM) was also introduced to achieve very specific CO2 reduction targets. This is an integrated management system that covers the current requirements of the ISO 9001, 50001 and 14001 standards.
It involves all our employees across departments in the continuous improvement process steps and creates awareness of the objectives and their contribution to the effectiveness of the TQM system.
We regularly review the effectiveness of our policy and TQM system and continuously improve it to meet the interests of our customers and organisation. An example of this is our production in Schmiedefeld near Dresden. Here we have built a modern, efficient industrial building that takes into account not only the environment but also the needs of our employees (see above). From the choice of location to the design of working conditions and the use of energy-efficient technologies such as waste heat recovery - our company goes above and beyond what is expected in order to make steady progress towards CO2-neutral production.
To minimise emissions from their commercial vehicles, we have also greatly reduced the number of vehicles and introduced strict guidelines. Conferences, meetings and training sessions are held digitally as much as possible, drastically reducing unnecessary car journeys and flights. Employees can avoid traffic jams and unnecessary journeys through flexible working hours and home offices, thus reducing fuel consumption. In this way, our measures for continuous digitalisation also have a positive effect on the CO2 emissions of each individual and overall.
SANHA® also uses cloud services to minimise its energy consumption. Since only the server space actually needed is used, this leads to a better CO2 balance. The installation of photovoltaic panels also contributes to this goal.
To save energy and reduce consumption, we use state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems that are designed for efficiency. We are also working on a renewable energy project that uses wind and solar energy to produce our fittings.
Our strategy is to permanently minimise energy consumption in the production, transmission and sale of our products and services. We are committed to optimising energy use to achieve maximum efficiency and want to see this as an ongoing challenge.
We are committed to supporting our business partners in our efforts to increase energy efficiency. This includes striving to procure energy-efficient products and services to achieve sustainable improvements in energy performance.
Employees are the core of the company. Everything stands and falls with them. We see the versatility and diversity of the different genders, nationalities, religions and age groups as a clear enrichment and strength and leads to a refreshing variety of knowledge and ways of thinking.
SANHA® also works closely with people with disabilities. Their contribution is an important part of diversity in the work environment, enabling them to be optimally integrated into our society and providing opportunities.
Wherever possible, we offer our employees flexible working hours and home office. Employees always have the opportunity to have feedback discussions with their contacts in the HR department or their superiors, up to and including the management. This promotes open communication and offers room for creative ideas and suggestions for improvement.
Safety in the workplace is an important factor for everyone involved. Therefore, new employees in production in particular are continuously trained in safety. Checking compliance with safety regulations contributes to fewer accidents and longer, healthy working hours. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in external training such as first aid courses.
SANHA® supports a healthy lifestyle for its employees through bicycle subsidies and regular sports activities. Internal motivational committees at various locations made up of volunteers work to provide continuous information and support to all colleagues and to create an optimal working atmosphere.
Requirements from ISO standards are one thing. Not only to meet them, but to exceed them if possible, is also an important intrinsic motivation. In addition, there are increasing regulatory requirements, keyword EU taxonomy. To this end, we regularly have internal and external audits carried out that reveal further potential for optimisation.
- Our focus is on sustainable energy production through the use of renewable sources on our land and buildings. For example, we have equipped all production sites with economical LED lighting. In addition, extensive PV systems have been installed at all suitable locations.
- In the future, the vehicle fleet will be converted predominantly to electrically powered vehicles. For this purpose, our buildings will be equipped with charging stations. Another contribution to environmentally friendly mobility is the provision of bicycles for our employees.
- Our energy managers and quality managers are constantly monitoring and tightening up these goals.
- In order to make an even greater contribution to environmental protection, we will in future examine even more carefully how our suppliers contribute to a more sustainable future and take this into account when working together.
- In the coming years, SANHA® Fittings in Ternat will carry out an in-depth analysis of work processes in workshops for the disabled in order to identify best practices and share this information with other SANHA® companies and units. We are very confident that we will gain valuable insights and aim to work with sheltered workshops in Germany and Poland as well.
- Printed materials are now only provided in justified exceptional cases. With regard to our office supplies, promotional items and equipment used, we already pay attention to energy consumption, sustainable production and materials as well as corresponding evidence and will continue to expand this process.